The way business is carried out in the pharmaceutical industry has become extremely dynamic. For pharmaceutical giants such as GlaxoSmithKline, a multinational company based in England, mergers and acquisitions are no longer attractive. The real money is in offering investors to hold some of the rights to certain medications. Such is the case of Imitrex, a triptan drug often prescribed for the treatment of migraines.
Understanding Triptans
Most medication regimes prescribed to migraine patients are either preventative or abortive. Triptans can treat cluster headaches and migraine headaches by affecting serotonin receptors as well as circulation in the cranial blood vessels. When these medications entered the market in the mid-1990s, migraine specialists remarked on the new ability to provide vascular and brain chemistry treatment simultaneously.The introduction of triptans was great news for migraine patients who did not respond favorably to non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs such as Aleve and Motrin, which mostly address the vascular symptoms of migraines. Triptans are effective for chronic migraine patients who experience auras before their headaches since they can take these medications and enjoy relief in as early as 30 minutes.
How Sumatriptan Works
Although there are injectable and elixir formulations of Imitrex, this medication is commonly prescribed in tablet form. In the United Kingdom and other European markets, small doses of Imitrex are available over-the-counter. In the United States, a mixture of sumatriptan and naproxen prescribed as Treximet is often recommended for migraine headaches.The symptoms that are typically alleviated by Imitrex include:
- Pain
- Nausea
- Sensitivity to light
- Sensitivity to sound
- Vertigo
**The highest oral dose of Imitrex is 100 milligrams.
Imitrex Side Effects and Complications
Although many patients report feeling tired and drowsy after taking Imitrex, pharmaceutical researchers believe that this is mostly a natural reaction to the actual migraine episode. Known side effects of Imitrex include tingling sensations, tightness of the jaw and a slight loss of balance.
Patients who take antidepressant medications such as Prozac may experience more serious side effects such as chest pain, extreme weakness, visual disturbances, seizures and hallucinations. Patients who suffer from cardiac conditions are usually asked by their physicians to take their initial dose of Imitrex while at the office or clinic for the purpose of monitoring their reaction.
